Apolline Guédon is well-known in Berlin’s nightlife for leading the quality event series Art Bei Ton, which takes place in iconic clubs such as Griessmuehle, About Blank and Suicide Club. She’s a very generous person who spends most of her time taking care of artists and listening to music. Creative, she used to get involved in various artistic projects before becoming an ambient/hypnotic techno DJ, playing under the name Hypnotic Black Magic.
THEMATIC SELECTION
CLASSIC
Luigi Tozzi – Quetzalli [Hypnus, 2016]
Apolline Guédon: This track is obviously a classic of the genre. Whenever I meet someone new, who doesn’t know about hypnotic techno and would like to discover it, I always play this masterpiece from Luigi Tozzi.
DEEP
Joachim Spieth – Luciferin [Affin, 2017]
Apolline Guédon: What I love about this track, and about many others from Joachim Spieth, is the perfect balance between the atmospheric pads and the transcendent kick/bass/hi-hat structure. This track always leads me into deep hypnosis.
MENTAL
Reggy Van Oers – Alternating Silence [Kontrafaktum, 2018]
Apolline Guédon: This is 8:50 of a powerful mental trip. Each time I listen to it, it captures me into a vortex, like walking through an endless spiral tunnel. Repetitive, but never boring, it is still over the years one of the vinyls that I play the most at home.
DARK
Claudio PRC – Materia [Semantica, 2017]
Apolline Guédon: I’ve always liked really dark tracks and this one definitely brings me to that obscure mind space, between my doubts, my insecurities and my hopes. The whole album by Claudio PRC is really beautiful and triggers lots of forgotten emotions.
EXPERIMENTAL
ASC – Event Horizon [Horo, 2018]
Apolline Guédon: My vinyl collection started with beautiful and colourful records from the label Horo, and now I could buy any of their releases without even listening to them. Besides that, ASC is simply a genius! His imaginative productions are extremely well-designed and very efficient in a mix.
DOPE BASSLINE
Blazej Malinowski – III [TGP, 2016]
Apolline Guédon: To my ears, the most important element in music is the bassline and Blazej Malinowski has this special way of creating such powerful ones, completely surrounding the listener. This track is transcendent, immersive, pushing somehow the audience into a frenetic dance.
OLD SCHOOL
Aphex Twin – Xtal [Apollo Records, 1992]
Apolline Guédon: I don’t remember the first time I listened to this track, but I feel like it’s been there forever. Aphex Twin has been my favourite artist since my mom introduced him to me when I was a teenager. “Xtal” expresses many emotions at the same time, between melancholy, pleasure and nostalgia. Aphex Twin is a genius.
TO START A MIX
Aleja Sanchez – Interlude of Acheron [Illegal Alien Records, 2018]
Apolline Guédon: Opening with a dark and mysterious atmosphere is a pattern I regularly apply in my sets. It immerses the audience into an obscure world and triggers their attention toward the rest of the story. Aleja Sanchez is an amazing artist and this track is just perfect to start the journey.
FOR THE PEAK TIME
Ness – Bionic Harp [Lykos Records, 2020]
Apolline Guédon: We can always recognise a track from Ness through its efficient basslines and trancey elements. “Bionic Harp” has also this mysterious sexual tension which, once released during the peak time, has the power to bring the audience into ecstasy.
BONUS – TOPIC BROUGHT BY OUR GUEST
A DOPE MIX
Art Bei Ton Podcast 024 – Aksamit (2020)
Apolline Guédon: This hypnotic techno set from Aksamit has definitely been one of the highlights of my year. Not only well performed and featuring a great track selection, the mix is a recording from the first event I organised with Art Bei Ton on a real club PA, after six months of Covid restriction. Let’s hope that we’ll be able to organise events again soon!
WRITING BY: APOLLINE GUÉDON & CEDRIC FINKBEINER | 30 NOVEMBER 2020
